A View from the Top (and the Bottom)

One of the unfortunate realities of building a large structure is that from a certain angle, not much changes from day to day. We could post daily photos from across the street from 318 Davisville Road, and it wouldn't look like much is changing.

Look a little closer, though, and you'll see there's a lot going on. The photo on the left, taken last month shortly after the building frame was complete, shows the decking being added to the third floor.

The photo to the right shows the current view from the ground floor, where the School's offices and recital hall will be located. As a matter of fact, the photo was taken from about the position of the Branch Director's office looking toward the lobby. The entrance to the branch will be to the right at the rear of the building, and recital hall will be to the left.

Head up two flights on a construction ladder in the elevator shaft, and you're standing on smoothed, finished concrete that's been poured on the decking you see above. The recessed area in the center will be the dance studio, which will have a special floor inlaid.

Wondering how poured concrete gets so smooth? Picture for a moment some sort of mutant cross between a Zamboni(TM), an air boat and a riding lawnmower. You know what, you don't need to picture it. Just click on the next photo for a better view of these fantastic looking machines.

Click over to our Facebook fan page for an expanded gallery of photos, including the elevator shaft, the decking before concrete has been poured, and a view from the top floor looking down.

Keeping a Large Retainer

One of the challenges of the lot on which the Willow Grove Branch sits is that it initially sloped down to railroad tracks at the rear of the property. We noted the beginnings of the retaining wall necessary to level the property in an earlier post. In addition to that purpose, it also creates a separation between our parking lot and the railroad tracks.

In the photo that opens this post, you can see the entire length of the wall along the back of the property. And we're still not done. The wall currently stands about 19 feet, and when it's completed, it should be around 25 feet tall.

The thing about a wall is that it's not nearly as simple as it might first appear. For instance, you can't just stack a bunch of cinder blocks on top of one another and expect it to hold against even a small weight, nevermind the tons of dirt that are pressing against this wall. Each semi-hollow block is carefully placed then filled with material. After a line of blocks is placed, a layer of geofabric is laid on top, and the next layer begins anew. This fabric (which you can see to the right) prevents the water that trickles down the interior of the bricks from displacing the fill material (stone, dirt, etc.) within each brick. The water travels freely, the fill material stays where it is instead of getting washed away. Then after a certain number of layers of brick are placed, dirt is filled in against the wall. That's essentially what the wall is retaining: a whole lot of dirt on which a parking lot will be built.

This last photo gives a sense of how the wall wraps around the rear of the property, and shows just how high it is.

As a reminder, all of these photos and more are featured on our Facebook fan page. Check them out here.

The Gala: After the Fact

Saturday's 102nd Anniversary Gala held at the Hyatt at the Bellevue was a great success. With more than 400 guests in attendance, both the cocktail hour and dinner were comfortably cozy without feeling overcrowded.

Glamorous ladies and dapper gentlemen enjoyed the sounds of Settlement students and alumni alike. From the solo student guitarist who greeted guests at the entrance to the Grand Ballroom, to the Kardon-Northeast Jazz Band who played during the cocktail hour, to the Gail W. Snitzer Advanced Study String Quartet (see the group onstage in the above photo), Settlement students acquitted themselves well throughout the evening's festivities.

And following those stellar performances, guests danced the night away to the orchestra of Settlement alumnus and Settlement 100 honoree Joe Sudler.

For a full gallery of photos from the event, visit Settlement's Facebook Fan Page. Have story from the Gala to share? Let us know in the comments.

The Gala Approaches

Settlement's 102nd Anniversary arrives this Saturday, April 10, but the first signs of celebration occurred in early March at the Gala Benefactor Party. Held at Jacobs Music of Philadelphia, this year's party featured three floors of gorgeous pianos, great wine, and thrilling music.

On hand providing that music were the Myer Schwartz Advanced Study Piano Trio, coached by Sandra Carlock, Arthur Judson Distinguished Faculty Chair. The trio is comprised of Kathleen Sun, violin; Samuel Soltoff, cello; and Christianna Bates, piano.

Co-chairs Don & Lynn Haskin, Konnie & Paul Stark (pictured left to right) joined Central Board Chair Joseph W. Waz, Jr. (back center) in "tickling the ivories."

And as always, Moore Brothers Wine Company was on hand to provide some truly spectacular wines. Greg Moore played bartender for the evening, and the guests couldn't have been happier.

To see more pictures from the event, and to keep up-to-date on the latest Settlement news and events, visit our Facebook Fan Page. Be sure to become a fan, and you'll get alerts when we post new info.

Just like an Erector Set

Things are really heating up now at the Willow Grove Construction Site. The picture to the right was taken two weeks ago, just as the steel was first delivered to the work site.

Not more than a day later, the frame of the building is taking a very definite shape. If we think of the building as a body, we've got a skeleton (steel frame), a couple layers of skin (exterior concrete walls), and a few pieces of circulatory system (exterior drains).

Interior walls (which, if we're stretching our body metaphor, are what, cell walls or muscle fibers?) are still a few months away, but we're well on our way to something that actually resembles a building.

The pictures in this post all were taken within the space of a week, which our construction guru tells us is about perfect for a structure like ours.

More updates as we get new pictures. In the meantime, take a few seconds to become a fan of Settlement on Facebook. Then check out the fan page and let us know what you think.

Snow and more Walls

So there was the matter of a little snow in the middle of February. Okay, a lot of snow. But we've got a lot full of construction equipment -- the kind of equipment that moves giant piles of dirt without a problem.

So a little bit of snow didn't slow construction much at all. The bulldozer just shoved the most inconvenient mounds out of the way.

Then workers got started on a retaining wall that will run the length of the rear of the property along the railroad track. Importantly, the parking lot for the new branch will be between the building and the railroad tracks, so the retaining wall serves the important purpose of building up the ground back there so it brings the parking lot to a reasonable level. The shot to the left is just the first level or two of that wall.

A few days later, not only is the wall a good bit larger, but we're already packing dirt behind it tightly enough that the construction equipment is rolling across it without a problem. You'll notice that the snow on that dirt mound didn't last long, either.

While the snow itself didn't slow down work that much, the after effects did cause a few issues.
Remember that picture of the elevator pylon from a few posts ago? Well, they had recently dug out the area around the pylon to fit the sleeve that will become the base of the elevator.

Melting snow flooded that newly dug hole, and as it turns out, it's a lot easier to move snow than water.

Rest assured, though, work continues. Stay tuned next week when we'll post photos of a whole lot of steel.

The first of a few Willow Grove Updates

In the last few weeks we've had two separate snowstorms (albeit close together), and we're about to get hit with a torrential downpour this weekend. But while weather and 102nd Anniversary Gala preparations have prevented blog updates, these circumstances haven't slowed down work on the Willow Grove Branch construction site.

In the first of a few posts today, we'll be bringing you up to speed on how the site has progressed since early February. In our last post, we shared pictures of the pre-fabricated forms that were erected in preparation for poured concrete. Take down those forms, and voilà, walls!

Point of interest: The ridge that runs around these concrete walls is actually where the bottom-most layer of the brick facade will be laid.

You can also make out the shadow of our intrepid photographer, Settlement's Facilities Manager Bob Giannone.

And taken from my favorite angle, compare the following shot with one taken back in December.

Come back later today for a few shots in the recent snow, as well some work done earlier this week.

102nd Anniversary Gala Menu Tasting

On Thursday, February 4, Settlement Music School's Gala Menu Co-chairs Susan and Greg Moore and Susan and the Honorable Vincent Poppiti joined Gala Chairs Don and Lynn Haskin and Konnie Stark to sample some of the delicious menu selections offered by Hyatt at the Bellevue along with some fine vintage wines courtesy of Moore Brothers Wine Company.

The Poppitis (left) and Moores with Chef Richard at the Hyatt at the Bellevue have the tough job of selecting Settlement Music School's menu for the 102nd Annual Gala to be held at the Hyatt on April 10, 2010.

Gala Co-Chairs Lynn & Don Haskin and Konnie Stark (Co-chair and husband Paul Stark had an out-of-town business meeting that day -- too bad!)

This is one of the tougher jobs in Gala Planning! All the food was delicious. The chairs sampled the three main courses you see below, as well as a few desserts. Which of these choices do you think will be the winner? The selected meal will be published soon.

Potential Main Courses
Duet Featuring Cabernet Marinated Filet of Beef Tenderloin
Roasted Corn and Leek Potato Cake
Paired with Basil and Macadamia Nut Crusted Salmon on Garlic Infused Spinach
Balsamic Demi Glace

~

Duet Featuring Pan Seared Filet of Beef Tenderloin
St. Andre Cheese and Tart Apples, Black Truffle Potato Cake with a Shallot Demi Glace
Paired with Chilean Sea Bass Brushed with XO Remy Asian Sauce, Leek and Mushroom

~

Frenched Breast of Chicken, Applewood Bacon, Napa Cabbage, Fingerling Potato Hash
and Tart Cherry Thyme Sauce

Potential Desserts
Chocolate Indulgence
Milk Chocolate Caramel, Chocolate Glacage, Chocolate Whipped Cream

~

Trio Plate
Pastry Chef Selection of (3) Desserts
Lemon Curd Barquette, Macadamia Nut Cheesecake, and Chocolate Torte

Settlement Music School Closed Thursday, February 11

All branches and offices of Settlement Music School are closed Thursday, February 11. We expect to re-open Friday, February 12 for regularly scheduled activities.

Patricia Manley
Interim Executive Director

Settlement Music School Closed Wednesday, February 10

Weather predictions seem certain that a significant amount of snow will have accumulated by tomorrow morning and that it will continue to fall throughout the day. Therefore, all branches and offices of Settlement Music School will be closed on Wednesday, February 10 and I hope you will be somewhere safe and warm.

Updates will be posted on the Settlement website www.smsmusic.org, on the recorded messages at each branch, and on KYW. The Philadelphia emergency closing number 154 applies to all branches.

Full time staff members should check in on Thursday morning for an update on whether their branch is opening. Depending on the cleanup efforts around Philadelphia, Montgomery County and Camden, we will attempt to re-open the offices and to resume teaching as soon as practical.

Thank you.

Patricia Manley
Interim Executive Director